In the medical field it is common for portable patient devices to be deployed for collecting patient data. These portable devices are often connected to central data processing devices, in which the monitoring, selection, analysis etc. of the data is performed either by medical personnel, doctors or even automatically. Such portable devices are deployed, among other things, to collect and monitor blood glucose levels from diabetics. From EP 1 559 364 A1 for example, a wireless diabetes monitoring system is known, in which the patients are informed of their results via mobile phone after their blood glucose levels have been transmitted to a control centre. A further comparable system is known from US 2005/0089150 A1, wherein, via telephone and portable apparatus, an interactive briefing of a user/patient takes place by means of a voice recognition system and software generated instructions to the user.
People suffering from diabetes mellitus have to strive to keep their blood glucose value within a particular range at all times. If the desired range is exceeded, insulins needs to be injected. If the desired range is undershot, glucose needs to be administered orally (by means of food or a drink). If the desired range is exceeded over a relatively long time, there is the risk of serious health complications, such as visual impairment (e.g. blindness), kidney damage, mortification of limbs or neuropathy. If the range is exceeded significantly for a short time, this may result in nausea, dizziness, sweating and even states of confusion. If the desired range is undershot significantly for a short time, this may likewise result in nausea, dizziness, sweating, confusion and—in the worst case—the death of the diabetic. It is therefore absolutely imperative for a diabetic to know the generally status of his blood glucose at all times and if necessary to be able to initiate suitable measures independently in order to prevent the blood glucose value from breaking out of the desired range. To this end, blood glucose measuring devices have already been used for some time, such as are known from DE 10 2004 057 503 A1 and sold by the applicant under the registered trade mark ACCU-CHEK®. Ideally, the diabetic handles measurement of the blood glucose value and the measurement results himself.
The blood glucose level is subject to severe fluctuation, depending on the insulin administration (as a general rule, differently acting insulins can be used at the same time), on the ingested sugar quantity and other foods and fluids which physiologically affect the glucose metabolism. Additionally affecting the glucose metabolism are physical activity, stress, illness, etc. Because not every organism reacts in the same way to these physiological parameters, every diabetic must get to know his own physiological reactions. For this reason, it is essential to maintain a diabetes-diary. Using the entries recorded in such a written diary, the diabetic can search for similar situations in his past entries and compare with the current situation, in order to then take corresponding measures to induce a correction in his metabolism. As a result of the diary entries, he is in a position to repeat successful correction of the metabolism, or to provide a better correction to the physiological situation than in the past through appropriate adjustments to the corrective action if the correction in the similar situation did not provide the desired result. Therefore, as already mentioned, a serious need arises for each diabetic to maintain such a diary in which all parameters and corrective actions of the metabolism-control cycle are noted.
Around 80% of all visually impaired (e.g. blind) diabetics are visually impaired as a result of diabetes, i.e. the blood glucose of these people was not at the correct level for a long time, which led to visual impairment. Because of their visual impairment, these diabetics are unable to maintain a diary for themselves, as previously described, and until now they have not been in a position to independently administer insulin therapy. Although care through other people is possible, experience shows that the blood glucose level of the visually impaired patient is worse in that case than when he independently regulates his own blood glucose; i.e. independent regulation of one's own blood glucose reduces the risk of further health related complications.
Visually impaired and visually impaired (partially visually impaired) diabetics therefore have a great interest in enabling themselves to maintain a diary and select the history in the form of data, in order to take appropriate measures in critical situations.